Refinement of vitamin-containing unsaponifiable matter of oils



Patented Nov. 14, 1933 REFINEMENT OF VITAMIN CONTAINING UNSAPONIFIABLE MATTER OF OILS Archie Black, New Brunswick, N. J., assignor to E. R. Squibb & Sons, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application April 22, 1932 Serial No. 606,903

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the refinement of the vitamin-containing unsaponifiable matter of oils.

In the processes commonly employed, the vitamin-containing unsaponifiable matter of oils is 5 isolated by the successive steps of saponifying the oil, extracting the soap with a solvent in which the unsaponiflable matter dissolves but the soap does not, removing the solvent from the extract by evaporation, and removing most of the cholesterol from the extract by crystallization from a solvent. There remains a semi-solid brown mass, the crude unsaponiflable matter.

It is the object of this invention to provide a simple and efficient method of refining such unsaponifiable matter so as to obtain a product characterized by higher concentration of vitamins and by increased palatability in virtue of superior flavor, odor, and color. Essentially the method of the invention com- 2 prises dissolving the unsaponiflable matter in a substantially oil-immiscible solvent, preferably a solvent selected from the group consisting of alcohol and dioxan; and washing the solution with small portions of an oil, preferably an oil selected from the group consisting of corn, codliver, olive and cottonseed oils. Such oil washing, which entails the loss of only a negligible amount of the vitamins, not only eliminates from the unsaponifiable matter a large proportion of the inert substances, but also makes it far more acceptable for human consumption. The small quantity of oil left in the refined unsaponiflable matter may be removed by saponiflcation with an alkali, the vitamins being then extracted from the soap.

As an example, a 60 cc. alcohol solution of the unsaponiflable matter of 2000 g. of cod-liver oil is thoroughly shaken with 5 cc. of corn oil in a separatory flask, the mixture is allowed to stand for about an hour, and the oil layer that has settled to the bottom is drawn off. The alcohol solution is shaken with 5 co. more of corn oil; after settling, this oil layer is drawn off; and the combined oil fractions are washed with two portions of alcohol, which are then added to the original alcohol solution; and the alcohol is distilled off. The resulting oily residue, after removal of sapom'flable oil in the manner already described,

weighs only about 40 percent as much as the the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of refining the vitamin-containing unsaponiflable matter of oils that comprises dissolving suchunsapom'flable matter in a substantially oil-immiscible solvent and washing the solution with small portions of an oil.

2. The method of refining the vitamin-containing unsaponifiable matter of oils that comprises dissolving such unsaponifiable matter in a solvent selected from the group consisting of alcohol and dioxan, and washing the solution with small portions of an oil selected from the group consisting of corn, cod-liver, olive, and cottonseed oils.

3. The method of refining the vitamin-containing unsaponifiable matter of oils that comprises dissolving such unsaponifiable matter in alcohol and washing the solution with small por- ARCHIE BLACK. 

